


For Once, We'll Take Care of You

by cantabrasil03



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2014-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 19:08:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2872259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cantabrasil03/pseuds/cantabrasil03
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gou gets a cold. The boys step up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Once, We'll Take Care of You

Makoto awoke that morning to a text from Gou flashing on his phone.

_I’m sick. I’m not coming to school today. Can you run the practice?_

The text was followed by the day’s workout. Makoto texted back.

_Do you have a cold?_

He was leaving for Haruka’s house when she replied.

_I guess so. I have a fever._

_Stay in bed and rest._

_I will._

_Is your mom working today?_

_Yes, she has to stay late._

That worried him a bit.

_Do you have food ready? Have you eaten today?_

_She left me soup. Stop worrying! It’s just a cold._

_I’ll be over after school._

_You can’t! You have to run the practice! It’s too far! I’m fine. Besides, you need the workout too!_

_It’s not a big deal, you know I don’t mind._

_Please don’t trouble yourself. I’ll be mad if you miss!_

_Not a trouble. I’m your boyfriend, I want to take care of you. I’ll make it up the next practice, I promise._

There was no reply after that, and Makoto decided to assume a victory rather than the more plausible explanation that she fell asleep again.

~

“Gou-chan’s sick? That’s terrible!” Nagisa bit into his melon bread. “I guess that means I’ll have to take her homework to her today.”

“You’ll tire her out,” Rei said. “I’ll go with you.”

“It’s alright,” Makoto opened his lunchbox. “You can give it to me. I’m going to check on her after school. So, I’ll need you guys to run through the workout she gave us.”

“Hey, no fair! Just because you guys are secret lovers doesn’t mean you get to hog Gou-chan all to yourself!” Nagisa chided. Makoto blushed.

“We’re not secret lovers!”

“Right, just lovers,” Nagisa grinned.

“Nagisa!”

“Why don’t we all go take care of Gou-chan?” The blonde ignored Makoto’s protest. “We can cheer her up and make her feel better! Rei-chan, we can’t forget to buy flowers! You can choose them.”

Rei sputtered. “Me?!”

Haruka looked over at Makoto. “Gou will be mad if we skip practice.”

“I know,” Makoto sighed. “But I’m worried. She’s home by herself. I texted Rin and he said he’ll go check on her after his practice, but-“

Haruka smiled, something he was doing more often lately. “You should go. She won’t be mad if it’s just you missing. We’ll meet you there after practice.”

~

“You really didn’t have to come,” Gou coughed into her tissue. “I can’t believe you skipped practice to come here.”

“I know. I told you, I’ll make up the yards.” Makoto answered, picking up the wastebasket next to her desk and proceeding to pick up the used tissues around her bed and on her nightstand. “You’re messy when you’re sick,” he teased.

“Don’t,” she groaned, hiding her head under her blanket. “I didn’t want you to see me like this. I’m gross. Didn’t Rin tell you he’s coming after practice to see me? I would have lived until then.”

He smiled and poked at the shape she made on the bed. “I wanted to take care of you. Did you eat lunch yet?”

“But my throat hurts,” she whined. “And I’m not hungry,” the petulant tone in her voice reminded Makoto of his siblings when they were sick. There was only one real way to deal with difficult sick people.

“You have to try to eat something,” he said matter-of-factly, tugging on her blanket to feel for her forehead. He yanked the cover out of her grip, exposing her face. She was flushed. Makoto sat on the bed, holding her bangs away from her face and testing her forehead with the back of his palm. He pressed his lips to her brow to check her temperature. ““You’re hot. I’ll get the thermometer too.”

“I feel cold,” Gou hid under the blankets again. “And I don’t want to eat. I just want to sleep.”

“Do you want me to feed you?”

She peeked out at him, her eyes red rimmed and her nose flushed. Makoto bit back a smile. He knew she was suffering, but there was something irresistibly cute about the picture she made.

“If- if it’s not too much trouble.”

~

“Say ahhh,” he held the spoon to her lips and Gou obeyed, opening her mouth. They were otherwise quiet, Makoto feeding her patiently. She made it through half the bowl and Makoto persuaded her to drink a cup of the tea he made.

“Thank you,” she laid back onto her pillow.

“Just one more sip,” he handed her the cup. She took a drink and put the cup on her nightstand, dropping back onto her pillows. Makoto’s large hand smoothed her bangs away from her sweaty forehead.

“Mmm, your hand feels nice,” she purred.

“Sleep a little bit. I’ll clean up.”

Gou groaned and reached for his hand. “No, stay here instead. Don’t bother cleaning.”

“It’s not good to have a mess when you’re sick,” he chided gently. “Or do you want Nagisa to tease you about all your used tissues.”

“Nagisa’s coming?!”

“Well, yeah. And so are Haru and Rei. They’re coming to see you after practice.”

Gou blushed. “You guys really didn’t have to. I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Hey,” he smoothed her hair. “You’re not a bother. Nagisa almost killed me when I offered to bring your homework. We’re all worried about you, Gou. You always take care of us, now let us do the same for you.”

She looked at him, wide eyed, a blush dusting her cheeks that Makoto was sure came from more than the fever. “Ok,” she said finally, settling into the bed.

That evening had Rei placing a beautiful bouquet in on her desk, Haruka cooking her his favorite sick dish (mackerel version), Rin changing her blankets, and Nagisa making her laugh through her cough with his stories about their school day. Makoto kept track of her temperature, tucking her in when she began to shiver.

They took care of her.

And she let them.

**Author's Note:**

> Because she can never have enough love. This has been sitting on my tumblr since season one, sorry! Probably has a ton of mistakessss


End file.
